This disclosure relates generally to bone fixation systems, components thereof, and methods of implant placement used to adjust, align and maintain the spatial relationship(s) of adjacent bones or bony fragments after surgical reconstruction of skeletal segments. In particular, this disclosure relates to devices that fixate the spinous processes at one vertebral level with the spinous process of another vertebra.
Whether from degenerative disease, traumatic disruption, infection or neoplastic invasion, alteration in the anatomical relationships between the spinal vertebras can cause significant pain, deformity and disability. Spinal disease is a major health problem in the industrialized world and the surgical treatment of spinal pathology is an evolving discipline. The traditional surgical treatment of abnormal vertebral motion is the complete immobilization and bony fusion of the involved spinal segment and an extensive array of surgical techniques and implantable devices have been formulated to accomplish the treatment objective.
Regardless of the specific objectives of surgery, many surgeons employ implantable devices that maintain the desired spatial relationship(s) between adjacent vertebral bodies. The effectiveness of these devices is critically dependant on adequate fixation into the underlying bone. While screw fixation into the pedicle portion of the vertebral body has emerged as a common method of device fixation, it remains a substantial operation with multiple shortcomings.